Memories of Palm Tree Island

I miss Palm Tree Island. I remember paying QR 10 for a Dhow trip from the corniche over to the island and even getting a bag of chips and a coke!

Ah how it was easy to please me. I remember hanging out, seeing children playing in the public pools, families chilaxing on the beach, and eating at a Pizza Hut that was open while seeing the ‘adults’ enjoying themselves at a coffee shop. It wasn’t big at all. To me , it was a perfect little island. I wish I owned it now in fact! I’ve got this perfect project!

Where IS Palm Tree Island you ask? Alas, ’tis no more. It’s the island with the lone tree on it in the center of the corniche. Although it used to be add to the view, its now just a place for stupid Tennis marketing and launching fireworks.

Why was it torn down? There’s a number of stories going around. The one I hear most often is that it was supposed to be the spot of the ‘World’s Largest Water Fountain’ and it was supposed to have been created for the Asian Games. Well the Asian Games were in 2006 so I think we can pretty much say that’s not going to happen.

What makes me sad is the fact that they didn’t even have a plan in place before getting rid of it. Why not raze it once you KNOW something’s going to happen.

Ah well…. enjoy some piccies I found from around the internets. (Various sources, Getty images, Qatar embassy, and Mary Steel)

2 Comments so far »

  1. Rohanv said,

    Wrote on January 28, 2010 @ 9:49 am

    Palm Tree Island was fun. I remember playing volleyball on the beach, jumping into that little pool and cycling one one of those water balloon bikes. Good times. Even went to one really long concert once.

    But now it’s just the sad, “One Tree Island.”

  2. desert_queen said,

    Wrote on February 4, 2010 @ 9:04 pm

    I loved to go to Palm Tree Island….such a shame it is gone….
    I use to go down there as you could find the most beautiful shells overthere…
    Any idea what they going to do with the Island….heard soo many rumors about it…Ikea ?

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